weight KIA AMANTI 2009 User Guide

Driving tips18
5TRAILER TOWING
✽
✽NOTICE
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result in costly repairs
not covered by your warranty. To pull a
trailer correctly, follow the advice in this
section.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the infor-
mation in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. Remember
that trailering is different than just driving
your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability, and fuel
economy. Successful, safe trailering
requires correct equipment, and it has to
be used properly.
This section contains many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your
safety and that of your passengers.
Please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
WARNING
- Towing a trail-
er
If you don't use the correct equip-
ment and drive properly, you can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
- or even at all. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or fatal-
ly injured. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this
section.
Item Specification
Maximum trailer Without trailer brakes 1000 (454)
weight lbs. (kg) With trailer brakes 2000 (908)

519
Driving tips
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the load of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher
speeds and under greater loads. This
additional burden generates extra heat.
The trailer also adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
If you do decide to pull a trailerHere are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. You canask a hitch dealer about sway control.
After your odometer indicates 500 miles (800 km) or more, you can tow a
trailer. For the first 500 miles (800 km)
that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make
starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle
“wear” in at the heavier loads.
Always drive your vehicle at a moder- ate speed (Less than 100 km/h).
The important considerations have to do with weight: Weight of the trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It
should never weigh more than 2000 lbs.
(908 kg) with trailer brakes. But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.

Driving tips20
5Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total gross vehicle weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. This weight
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you will tow a trailer, you must add
the tongue load to the GVW because
your vehicle will also be carrying that
weight.
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue, separately, to
see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to correct them
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
Hitches It's important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few rea-
sons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are some rules to follow:
Will you have to make any holes in the
body of your vehicle when you install a
trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to
seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can
get into your vehicle, as well as dirt and
water.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-
mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
WARNING
Never load a trailer with moreweight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be loaded
with approximately 60% of the
total trailer load; the rear should
be loaded with approximately
40% of the total trailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or trail-
er towing equipment. Improper
loading can result in damage to
your vehicle and/or personal
injury. Check weights and loading
at a commercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with
scales.
An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle control.

521
Driving tips
Safety chains You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer so that the tongue will not
drop to the road if it becomes separated
from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the hitch manufacturer or by
the trailer manufacturer. Follow the man-
ufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trailer.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer brakes If your trailer weighs more than 1000 lbs.
(454 kg) loaded, then it needs its own
brakes and they must be adequate. Be
sure to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to
install, adjust and maintain them proper-
ly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-tem.
Driving with a trailer Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you must get to know
your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the
feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so responsive as your vehicle is
by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and any trailer brakes are still work-
ing.
WARNING
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.

523
Driving tips
Driving on grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70
km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than 1000 lbs.
(454 kg) and you have an automatic
transaxle, you should drive in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on hills Generally, you should not park your vehi-
cle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
People can be seriously or fatally injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged if they begin a downhill tra-
jectory.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steepgrades (in excess of 6%) payclose attention to the enginecoolant temperature gauge to ensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolanttemperature gauge moves across the dial towards “H” (HOT), pullover and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the engine toidle until it cools down. You mayproceed once the engine has cooled sufficiently.
You must decide driving speed depending on trailer weight anduphill grade to reduce the possi-bility of engine and transaxleoverheating.
WARNING
- Parking on a hill
Parking your vehicle on a hill with a
trailer attached could cause serious
injury or death, should a down hill
trajectory happen.

729
Maintenance
TIRES AND WHEELS Tire care
For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.
Recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than one mile (1.6 km).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear.All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the vehicle.
3GHA523
XXX XX XX
XXX XX XXX XX
XXX XX
XXX XX XX
XXX XX XX
X
X
X
X X
X390390
860860390390
860860
OGH036905N
WARNING
- Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (10 psi (70
kPa) or more) can lead to severe
heat build-up, causing blowouts,
tread separation and other tire
failures that can result in the
loss of vehicle control leading to
severe injury or death. This risk
is much higher on hot days and
when driving for protracted peri-
ods at high speeds.
WARNING
Speedometer and Odometer is
calculated according to the tire
size. Therefore, if you do not use
the tire recommended for the
vehicle, the calculation of the
Speedometer and Odometer may
be incorrect.

Maintenance32
7Disc brake pads should be inspected
for wear whenever tires are rotated.Rotate radial tires that have an
asymmetric tread pattern only
from front to rear and not from
right to left.
Tire replacement
If the tire is worn evenly, a tread wear
indicator will appear as a solid band
across the tread. This shows there is
less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread
left on the tire. Replace the tire when
this happens.
Do not wait for the band to appear
across the entire tread before replac-
ing the tire.Wheel alignment and tire
balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to
have your wheels aligned again.
However, if you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the alignment may need
to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle vibrating
when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
✽ ✽
NOTICEImproper wheel weights can dam-
age your vehicle's aluminum wheels.
Use only approved wheel weights.
2GHA5032
Tread wear indicator
WARNING
Do not use the temporary
spare tire for tire rotation
Do not mix bias ply and radial ply tires under any circum-
stances. This may cause
unusual handling characteris-
tics that could result in death,
severe injury, or property
damage.

737
Maintenance
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. The
grades represent the tires ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C. The grades repre-
sent the tire’s resistance to the gen-
eration of heat and its ability to dissi-
pate heat when tested under con-
trolled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tires to
degenerate and reduce tires life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tires failure. Grade C corre-
sponds to a level of performance
which all passenger vehicle tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of per-
formance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by the law.Tire terminology and definitions
Air Pressure: The amount of air
inside the tire pressing outward on
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilo-
pascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight
: This means the
combined weight of optional acces-
sories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmis-
sion, power seats, and air condition-
ing.
Aspect Ratio : The relationship of a
tire's height to its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords
that is located between the plies and
the tread. Cords may be made from
steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead: The tire bead contains steel
wires wrapped by steel cords that
hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire : A pneumatic tire in
which the plies are laid at alternate
angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
WARNING
- Tire temperature
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build-up and possible sudden
tire failure. This can cause loss
of vehicle control and serious
injury or death.

Maintenance38
7Cold Tire Pressure: The amount of
air pressure in a tire, measured in
pounds per square inch (psi) or kilo-
pascals (kPa) before a tire has built
up heat from driving.
Curb Weight: This means the weight
of a motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil and
coolant, but without passengers and
cargo.
DOT Markings: A code molded into
the sidewall of a tire signifying that
the tire is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation motor
vehicle safety standards. The DOT
code includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric des-
ignator which can also identify the
tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front Axle.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the rear axle. Intended Outboard Sidewall
: The
side of an asymmetrical tire, that
must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for
air pressure.
Load Index: An assigned number
ranging from 1 to 279 that corre-
sponds to the load carrying capacity
of a tire.
Maximum Inflation Pressure : The
maximum air pressure to which a
cold tire may be inflated. The maxi-
mum air pressure is molded onto the
sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating : The load
rating for a tire at the maximum per-
missible inflation pressure for that
tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:
The sum of curb weight; accessory
weight; vehicle capacity weight; and
production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight:The
number of occupants a vehicle is
designed to seat multiplied by 150
pounds (68 kg). Occupant Distribution
: Designated
seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall: The side
of a asymmetrical tire that has a par-
ticular side that faces outward when
mounted on a vehicle. The outward
facing sidewall bears white lettering
or bears manufacturer, brand, and/or
model name molding that is higher or
deeper than the same moldings on
the inner facing sidewall.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire : A tire
used on passenger cars and some
light duty trucks and multipurpose
vehicles.
Recommended Inflation Pressure :
Vehicle manufacturer's recommend-
ed tire inflation pressure and shown
on the tire placard.
Radial Ply tire: A pneumatic tire in
which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Rim: A metal support for a tire and
upon which the tire beads are seat-
ed.
Sidewall: The portion of a tire
between the tread and the bead.

739
Maintenance
Speed Rating: An alphanumeric
code assigned to a tire indicating the
maximum speed at which a tire can
operate.
Traction: The friction between the
tire and the road surface. The
amount of grip provided.
Tr e a d: The portion of a tire that
comes into contact with the road.
Treadwear Indicators: Narrow
bands, sometimes called "wear
bars," that show across the tread of a
tire when only 2/32 inch of tread
remains.
UTQGS: Uniform Tire Quality
Grading Standards, a tire information
system that provides consumers with
ratings for a tire's traction, tempera-
ture and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers
using government testing proce-
dures. The ratings are molded into
the sidewall of the tire.
Vehicle Capacity Weight : The num-
ber of designated seating positions
multiplied by 150 lbs. (68 kg) plus the
rated cargo and luggage load. Vehicle Maximum Load on the
Tire: Load on an individual tire due to
curb and accessory weight plus
maximum occupant and cargo
weight.
Vehicle Normal Load on the Tire
:
That load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each
axle its share of the curb weight,
accessory weight, and normal occu-
pant weight and driving by 2.
Vehicle Placard: A label permanent-
ly attached to a vehicle showing the
original equipment tire size and rec-
ommended inflation pressure. All season tires
Kia specifies all season tires on
some models to provide good per-
formance for use all year round,
including snowy and icy road condi-
tions. All season tires are identified
by ALL SEASON and/or M+S (Mud
and Snow) on the tire sidewall. Snow
tires have better snow traction than
all season tires and may be more
appropriate in some areas.
Summer tires
Kia specifies summer tires on some
models to provide superior perform-
ance on dry roads. Summer tire per-
formance is substantially reduced in
snow and ice. Summer tires do not
have the tire traction rating M+S
(Mud and Snow) on the tire side wall.
if you plan to operate your vehicle in
snowy or icy conditions. Kia recom-
mends the use of snow tires or all
season tires on all four wheels.